Moving On
Pastor Sarah Kawalsingh
Just the other day I was talking with a friend about how far we as a Church have come, especially in how we design things for our publicity. I remember when I would sit at the computer and design my husband’s CD box sets. The designs weren’t very good, but I did the best I could at the time, until someone more skilled came along who could do a better job.
We were laughing at how we would spend so much time sticking labels on things and putting hundreds of ‘Welcome Packs’ together - now we are blessed with better technology and more staff (as well as wonderful volunteers who help us out from time to time!) that make our lives easier. I always think that moving on is a good thing. Whether it’s an upgrade to our technology or learning better ways of doing things, moving on can be a good thing that helps us find more time to be able to enjoy the nicer things in life.
For those of you who have been a Christian for some time, you may remember the first time you gave your life to Jesus. I remember when I was six years old, kneeling at my parents bedside, saying the sinner’s prayer many times over, asking Jesus to forgive me of my sin. Oh, and “Please don’t send me to hell!” I remember saying it over and over because I wanted to make sure that Jesus heard me. If I was still saying that same prayer over and over and had never moved on then there would be something very wrong. It would be like me, as an adult, eating puréed baby food – it gave me the goodness I needed when I was a baby, but there came a time when I needed something more substantial.
It’s the same in our walk with God. Giving your life to Jesus is the best decision you can ever make – but after you have done that, you need to move on. You move on by learning more about Him and choosing to walk in the way He wants you to walk, leaving the past behind and pressing forward.
There are many things that can hinder us from moving on in our relationship with Jesus. I think one of the biggest things that I find when talking to people is leaving the past behind; getting over the mistakes we’ve made and the hurts that others have put us through, and not holding grudges, even though we think we have every right to hold onto that offence. Christ wants us to let go and move on. You see, we have to remember what we have been forgiven of. Jesus doesn’t hold our mistakes against us, so why do we think that we have the right to hold other people’s mistakes against them? Have a look at what the Bible has to say about it:
Matthew 18:21-22 (NIV)
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times."
Later on in this chapter, Jesus tells the disciples the parable of the unmerciful servant. Jesus explains that this servant owed money to his master, but when the master demanded the money the servant begged for mercy and it was granted. Unfortunately, the servant who received mercy wasn’t very merciful to someone who owed him money. Jesus describes the outcome in verse 32 - 35:
Matthew 18:32-35 (NIV)
"Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I cancelled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."
Ultimately, if we don’t become dispensers of forgiveness we will hinder our lives from moving on. Today, as you read this, allow the Holy Spirit to work in your heart and help you forgive those who have wronged you. Make the choice to move on in the things that God has ordained for your life!
